Earlier this year the European Southern Observatory (ESO) launched the study
looking beyond the forthcoming ELT and setting sights on the next facility
that will revolutionise the global astronomical landscape.
This process will lead to the definition of the facility that will shape
Europe's program in ground based astronomy for the decades beyond 2040
alongside with the existing VLT and ALMA observatories and the forthcoming
ELT and CTA facilities.
In order to facilitate discussion on the Expanding Horizons program
within the German national community, the annual AG conference in Görlitz
will include a 'Townhall Meeting'.
The presentations are split in two sessions:
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the Director General of ESO, Prof.
Xavier Barcons will present the process
| 11:30 | Xavier Barcons | Expanding Horizons - Transforming Astronomy in the 2040s |
| 12:00 | Discussion |
On Thursday, September 18, 2025 five emerging proposals that are under
consideration in the 'Expanding Horizons' scheme will be presented by key
speakers representing interest in the German community:
| 9:00 | Introduction | |
| 9:10 | Frank Eisenhauer | Interferometry |
| 9:40 | Eva Schinnerer | ALMA 2040 |
| 10:10 | Matthias Steinmetz | Wide-Field Spectroscopic Telescope (WST) |
| 10:40 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00 | Amelie Saintonge | ATLAST |
| 11:30 | Thomas Kupfer | Time Domain Astronomy |
We also point out that the Townhall meeting on Expanding Horizons -
Transforming Astronomy in the 2040s will be preceeded by a
presentation/discussion of the update of the national roadmap for
astronomy ('Denkschrift') on Wednesday, September 17.
